Branding device



I March 19, 1929. B. WILLARD BRANDING DEVICE Filed March 23, 1927 Inventor: Ben WLHEiPd,

1 HLS Attorney.

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the iron maybe connected when removed Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES I 1,700,200 PATENT OFFICE.

BEN WILLARD, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BEAN DING DEVICE.

Application filed March 23, 1927., Seria1 No. 177,692.

My invention relates to branding devices and has for its object the provision of a sunple and reliable device o'l this character in which provision is made for heating a plurality or diil'ercnt branding irons.

More puiticularlymy invention relates to branding irons suitable for marking wood and various other materials such, for exam ple, as may be used in the grading and marking of lumber. In this process it is necessary to have a plurality of irons having different brands available so to apply the various grade marlrs. v f

In carryingout my invention I provide a heat insulated casin -in which a plurality oi electrically. heated branding irons may be placed when not in use together with means for establishing an electric heating clrcuit for each iron when it is placed in the casing so that the iron is maintained at the proper temperature. I also provide an extension cord connected to the supply circuit to wh1ch from the casing and thereby maintained at the proper temperature while in use. w V

For a more complete understanding oi: my invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawing inwhich Fig. 1 a trout elevation view partly in section of electric branding means embodying my lnvention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation View of F 1 partly in section; whlle Flg. 8 is a diagran'nnatic view showing the electrical connoctions for an iron.

Referring to the drawing, 1 have shown lily-invention in one form in connection with branding irons such as are suitable in the grade marking of lumber. Aplurality 0t irons are provided which are ldentical in construction, but with the exception that each iron is provided with a dillerent brand. In other words, a separate iron will be provided for each grade mark to be burned into the lumber. t is desired, however, that the irons will be maintained ready for instant use and to this end I provide a casing or cabinet 11 in which the irons are placed in upright positions, the cabinet being provided with a front door 12 which may be opened to provide for the insertion and removal o the irons. In the top of the casing is a plurality of separate compartments 1% which are surrounded by heat insulated side and top walls 14. Each compartment is of sulil cient size to receive the heated end portion 15 of the branding iron, the brand design being carried on the upper end of the portion 15. This heated portion is secured to a rod 16 which terminates in a suitable handle 17.

Each ironis provided with a suitable electric heating resistor 18 in the portion 15 t0- gether with a thermostat control device 19 by means of which the circuit of the heater 18 is controlled so as to maintain the iron at a predetermined temperature. In the arrangement shown the thermostat opens and closes the circuit for a magnet coil 20 located in a bottom compartment 21 in the cabinet. This coil operates a suitable switch 22 in circuit with the resistor 18 whereby the switch is opened when the coil is energized by the closing of the circuit by the thermostat upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature. As the branding iron cools, it will be understood that the thermostat will operate at some predetermined minin'uun temperature to open the circuit for the coil 20 whereby the switch 22 is closed by the spring 23 to reestablish the heating circuit. As previously observed the magnet coil 20 and the switch 22 associated with each branding iron are mounted in the lower compartment 21. The conductors 24 and 25 leading to the resistor and the conductor 26 for the thermostat control circuit extend through the rod 16 and the handle 17 and terminate in the contact pins 2? at the end of the handle.

In the bottom wall 28 of the cabinet is mounted a plurality of contact receptacles 29, each receptacle being directly below a compartment 13 and having three socket contacts to receive the contact pins 27 whereby the circuit connectionswith a supply source 30 of suitable voltage shown in Fig. 3 are established. Preferably the conductor 26 for the thermostat is connected to the middle one of the contact pins 27 so that the proper circuit relations will be established in all cases.

Each iron when not in use is placed in the casing in a proper upright position to establ' h its heating circuit whereby it is maintained under the thermostat control at the proper temperature. The loss of heat when the irons are in the casing is reduced to a minimum by means of the heat insulating walls 1d surrounding the heated portions of the branding irons. When the iron is removed from the casing for use its connections with the heating circuit may be re established and maintained through an extension cord 31 comprising three insulating conductors which terminate in a plug receptacle 32 corresponding to the receptacles 28 in the casing. It will be understood that the extension cord 31 has connection with an operating coil 20 and a switch 22 to establish'the connections indicated in Fig. 3.

While l have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto since "arious modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims. 7

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with an electrically heated tool, of a casing therefor, means for establishing a heating circuit for said tool when it is placed in said casing, and a thermostatic cut-out for controlling the heating circuit of said tool to maintain a predetermined temperature while said tool is in use.

2. The combination with an electrically heated tool of a casing therefor and means for establishing a heating circuit for said tool concurrently with the placing of said tool within said casing, and a thermostatic cut out for controlling said heating circuit to maintain a predetermined ten'iperature in said tool.

3. A branding device comprising an electrically heated branding iron, a heat insulated casing therefor, means for establishing a heating circuit for said iron when it is placed in said casing, a thermostatic cut-out on said iron for controlling the heating circuit thereof so as to maintain said iron at a predetermined temperature, and an extension cord provided with means for establishing a heating circuit for said iron when said iron is removed from said casing for use.

4:. An electric branding device comprising a heat insulated casing, an electric contact receptacle in said casing, an electric branding iron in said casing, a handle for said iron, contact pins on said handle cooperating with said receptacle to establish a heating circuit for said iron and a thermostatic cutout on said iron for controlling the heating circuit thereof so as to maintain said iron at a predetermined temperature, said iron being freely removable from said casing whereby its heating circuit is broken.

5. A branding device comprising a heat insulating casing, a plurality of electric contact receptacles on the bottom of said casing, a plurality of electrically heated branding irons in said casing, handles for said irons, contact pins for said irons cooperating with said receptacles to establish an electric heating circuit for said irons, and a thermostatic cutout in each of said irons for controlling the heating circuit thereof so as to maintain said irons at a predetermined temperature, said irons being freely removable separately from said casing, whereby the electric circuit therefor is broken by the removal of the contact pins from said receptacle.

6. A branding device comprising a heat insulated casing, a plurality of electrically heated branding irons provided with handles arranged to be placed in said casing, electric contact receptacles in said casing, contact pins on said irons arranged to cooperate with BEN WVILLARD. 

